Itas important to know exactly what Justice Tinga meant by his ruling because of its vast jurisprudential implications. Lying under oath is covered by law as perjury. But as the divorce case is understood, the defendant lied many times but
it wasn't necessarily held that she perjured herself.
Moreover, does the term "lying" include all forms of falsehood, such as, per Jonathan Swift, "political lying" or, in Platoas
memorable phrase, "the royal lie" a" mangling or concealing the truth as a policy of state or in the name of national security?
No one can say that Justice Tingaas ruling is vague or ambiguous since the report about it is too brief and most probably missed
its meaning, let alone its nuances. The ordinary citizen, unaccustomed to legal niceties, might conclude that since lying is good
grounds for divorce, itas also good grounds for divorcing power from legal and moral authority.
"Lying and divorce." Manila Bulletin 3 Apr. 2006. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
Document URL
At the same time it is universally assumed that no one would disagree with the proposition that lying is wrong in itself. Law and certain traditions of morality insist on truth as an absolute value, and whenever a person is discovered in a lie his integrity is permanently lost and his reputation destroyed. Without doubt the reason for Mr Mandelson's vigorous response to the charge of lying is motivated by the realisation that if he does not defend his integrity, he will suffer a permanent taint from which his reputation will not recover.
There has been a long tradition of debate about the ethical role of truth. Plato said that lies are not only evil in themselves but infect the soul of those who utter them. He states the uncompromising view that a moral life has room only for truth-telling. His view concerns individual character, but it generalises to social life, where lying undermines bonds in business, friendship and family life. For this reason Montaigne regarded lying as an especially malign vice, "We have no tie upon one another," he wrote, "other than the reliability of our word."
Grayling, AC. "George Washington may never have told a lie, but everyone else does; `Lying is always wholly unacceptable, but it is all right sometimes to tell an untruth'." Independent [London, England] 29 Jan. 2001: 4. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
I am a young politician, and I have developed this habit of lying, especially when I find myself in a difficult situation. I tell lies to malign my enemies, to keep my reputation immaculate and assure myself of the votes of my constituents. Lying has become so much a part of my life that I am often unable to distinguish between the falsehood I utter, and the truth I profess to uphold. I know that lying is wrong, but what can I do? I am a politician, and in politics, you cannot be absolutely honest.
"Q & A: On lying." Manila Bulletin 3 Sept. 2003. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
The university rightly realized that such creativity would have been inappropriate. The only way to make this bad situation worse would have been to signal that this wasn't treated as a grievous breach of conduct.
Our sympathies for the students' predicament is limited by the knowledge that they are not immature children, but well-educated adults attending an expensive law school and often seeking jobs at Bay Street firms. The students can be thankful they were not expelled, although their law prospects are dim. Surely nothing -- even a lesser punishment -- can fix that now.
"Necessary punishment." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada] 3 May 2001. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
``Children told that jailed parents are on holiday'' (headline, later editions, May 22). It seems that lying rather than facing up to disagreeable facts is a habit in some families.
"Punishment of `Winchester Two'; Letter." Times [London, England] 24 May 1995: 17. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
Itas important to know exactly what Justice Tinga meant by his ruling because of its vast jurisprudential implications.
Lying under oath is covered by law as perjury. But as the divorce case is understood, the defendant lied many times but
it wasn't necessarily held that she perjured herself.
Moreover, does the term "lying" include all forms of falsehood, such as, per Jonathan Swift, "political lying" or, in Platoas
memorable phrase, "the royal lie" a" mangling or concealing the truth as a policy of state or in the name of national security?
No one can say that Justice Tingaas ruling is vague or ambiguous since the report about it is too brief and most probably missed
its meaning, let alone its nuances. The ordinary citizen, unaccustomed to legal niceties, might conclude that since lying is good
grounds for divorce, itas also good grounds for divorcing power from legal and moral authority.
"Lying and divorce." Manila Bulletin 3 Apr. 2006. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
Document URL
At the same time it is universally assumed that no one would disagree with the proposition that lying is wrong in itself. Law and certain traditions of morality insist on truth as an absolute value, and whenever a person is discovered in a lie his integrity is permanently lost and his reputation destroyed. Without doubt the reason for Mr Mandelson's vigorous response to the charge of lying is motivated by the realisation that if he does not defend his integrity, he will suffer a permanent taint from which his reputation will not recover.
There has been a long tradition of debate about the ethical role of truth. Plato said that lies are not only evil in themselves but infect the soul of those who utter them. He states the uncompromising view that a moral life has room only for truth-telling. His view concerns individual character, but it generalises to social life, where lying undermines bonds in business, friendship and family life. For this reason Montaigne regarded lying as an especially malign vice, "We have no tie upon one another," he wrote, "other than the reliability of our word."
Grayling, AC. "George Washington may never have told a lie, but everyone else does; `Lying is always wholly unacceptable, but it is all right sometimes to tell an untruth'." Independent [London, England] 29 Jan. 2001: 4. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
I am a young politician, and I have developed this habit of lying, especially when I find myself in a difficult situation. I tell lies to malign my enemies, to keep my reputation immaculate and assure myself of the votes of my constituents. Lying has become so much a part of my life that I am often unable to distinguish between the falsehood I utter, and the truth I profess to uphold. I know that lying is wrong, but what can I do? I am a politician, and in politics, you cannot be absolutely honest.
"Q & A: On lying." Manila Bulletin 3 Sept. 2003. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
The university rightly realized that such creativity would have been inappropriate. The only way to make this bad situation worse would have been to signal that this wasn't treated as a grievous breach of conduct.
Our sympathies for the students' predicament is limited by the knowledge that they are not immature children, but well-educated adults attending an expensive law school and often seeking jobs at Bay Street firms. The students can be thankful they were not expelled, although their law prospects are dim. Surely nothing -- even a lesser punishment -- can fix that now.
"Necessary punishment." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada] 3 May 2001. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
``Children told that jailed parents are on holiday'' (headline, later editions, May 22). It seems that lying rather than facing up to disagreeable facts is a habit in some families.
"Punishment of `Winchester Two'; Letter." Times [London, England] 24 May 1995: 17. Global Issues In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.